Letters from The Catcher in the Rye
by Yonder Come Day
Summary: A rather short compilation of rather short letters from various people, written to Holden Caulfield. Letters from Mr. Spencer, Allie (Yes, Allie), Pheobe, Sally, and D.B. Give it a chance? Please? (S'il vous plait?)
1. Allie

Disclaimer: I don't own The Catcher in the Rye, and all that jazz.  
  
A/N: This is a set of letters that I wrote over a year ago for my English class (last year's English class, rather) that I've been meaning to put up here for a while. They're written to Holden from various characters in the book. I wouldn't trust myself to revise them at this point (since I haven't so much as looked at the book in months), and I apologize if they seem strange because I had to incorporate various vocabulary words, themes, symbols, etc. into them as part of the assignment...ah, whatever. Keep an eye out for the rest of the letters as I pry them out from the depths of my computer. Enjoy, and as always, review!  
  
Dear Holden,  
  
You know that song from Peter Pan? The one about how all those kids don't want to grow up, ever? I think you should have been one of those kids singing that song, Holden. I mean, I know that you don't like singing and all, and with your voice, with that horrible what-do-you-call-it—falsetto, of yours! Anyway. I mean, that you never really liked getting older. Remember how you used to say to me, "Allie, your so lucky cause you're young"? Well, maybe I am lucky. I am young, and you're older than me. Am I lucky because I'm a kid? Why are kids so lucky?  
I remember how D.B. used to talk about how he hated Peter Pan. That used to get me so mad—I love Peter Pan! Do you remember, Holden? D.B. got me so mad once when he said that all those kids in Peter Pan, Wendy and them, were phonies. I can see it real clear—he was sitting on the banister of the stairs of our old elementary school, and he said Wendy was a phony. Not true! Do you think it's true?  
When I was really young, I used to want to go travel with Wendy and Peter and them into Never Land. Never Land seemed like the best place ever! With all those crazy animals and the Indians and no one ever got older...although Captain Hook wasn't so great. Never Land without Captain Hook would be great. Sometimes, I think that you would like to go to Never Land too. There, you could stay young with all those kids, forever. Isn't that what you want, Holden? To not get older?  
I remember that time we went to the Museum of...what is it? The Museum of Natural History, and we saw the mummies. You told me that the mummies had it the best—they were kings when they were alive (What did those Egyptians call them again? Pharaohs?), and then when they died they were preserved forever. They never went away, unless their graves were invaded by robbers. I wonder if that's what you want to do, Holden...be preserved and young forever?  
I wouldn't like to be preserved forever. Then, people would look at me years and years from now, and I wouldn't like it. I'd rather my body just rot. That's what they're supposed to do, anyway. Ms. Crenshin told us in science class. She said that whenever something dies, their bodies decompose into the ground. Then someone asked Ms. Crenshin what about when people are buried in coffins, and Ms. Crenshin said that it wasn't natural, that bodies are naturally meant to be left to rot.  
When I was real little, I had a dream that Tinkerbell came and took me off to Never-Never Land. My friend Daniel had the same dream one time. Did you ever have that dream? It would be really funny if you did. We would have had the same dream! I think you must have had that dream. Cause I think you want it to come true.  
Suddenly, I can't remember how the song from Peter Pan goes. Do you remember? I bet you do. You always remember things like that.  
  
Allie 


	2. Mr Spencer

Disclaimer: Don't own Catcher in the Rye, blahddy blahddy blah.  
  
A/N: I'm baaaaaaack! Found another one of the letters. *=italics  
  
Dear Holden,  
  
I haven't talked to you in a long time, and I'm writing you a letter to see how you're doing. This letter isn't going to be some sort of monotonous lecture that I know you hate, but rather a letter aimed at helping you in any way that I can. As your former teacher, I'm trying to make sure that you don't spend the rest of your days sitting at tables in the backs of bars playing Canasta and wasting your life. I'm trying to help you *make* something out of your life, not throw it away.  
I'm not going to try to make you become a scholar in Egyptian history or the next Einstein when it comes to math or science. I'm just urging you to live up to your potential, because I know you didn't do that at Pencey or any of the countless other schools that you've been to. You have to be as conscientious as you can be.  
Remember that last time when you came to visit me in my house, and we were talking about life being a game? I think the only game that you were playing when we talked about that was the game in which you continually say, "Yes, sir. Yes, sir." I'm not as ignorant as you might think I am, Holden. I do know things other than history. And I know that you were only playing with me that day, and that you weren't really thinking the same things as you were saying. For all I know, your mind could have been back at your home in New York City while your body sat in my bedroom with me. Listen up, Holden. I'm trying to *help* you. Since I haven't been able to talk to you in person ever since you left Pencey, and I probably won't ever be able to talk to you in person again, it's very important to pay attention to what you are about to read: What you need is for someone to show you the facts of life, to put it very simply. Someone to show you how to believe in yourself and how to succeed. Now, I don't know whether or not I can be that person. In fact, because of my age and the considerable distance between us, I'm quite sure that I cannot be that person. I'm just telling you that you need one.  
Also, it doesn't just have to be a person. It can be a book, or an experience, or something that can show you how to come back to reality from whatever place your head has been stuck in as of late. Once you have opened your eyes, you can realize what mess you have put yourself in. Welcome to the world, my boy, for it is the best possible place to be.  
Holden, I know that you're afraid of change—but change happens, and you certainly can't stop it. You just have to adapt. Change is important. Someone, or something, can't stay the same way forever.  
  
From,  
Mr. Spencer  
  
A/N: Yep, yep, review!  
  
tinkerbelle16: Thank you very much! Your wish is my command. 


	3. Sally

Disclaimer: If I really owned The Catcher in the Rye, I most likely would not be writing fanfiction for it...  
  
*=italics  
  
Dear Holden,  
  
How have you been? I haven't seen you in the longest time! I was thinking about you the other day and I started wondering about what you've been up to, so I decided to drop you a note to see how you've been doing. So, how is everything? How's Phoebe and D.B.? And you're parents?  
Didn't we have the best time working on my family's Christmas tree way back in December? It seems like so long ago, doesn't it? That was so much fun—and it was so sweet of you to bring little Phoebe along! She's just darling!  
The other day, I was also thinking about what you said to me that time at the skating rink at Radio City. How you asked me to come out West with you and get married. I was just thinking—why did you ask that? I mean, it was ever so sweet and all, but it was so incredibly random. I'm sorry if I upset you with my response then. I just really didn't know what to say...  
Because I'm just not ready to get married, Holden. Maybe you are, but I'm not. No, I take that back-you are *not* ready. We're only teenagers, for heavens sake! We can't go off and do things like move out West and get married.  
I hope you don't take this letter in the wrong way, Holden. You can be my boyfriend and I your girlfriend for as long as we want, but I don't want to get married until after I go to college. Maybe, then we can go out West and make a family and all. Or maybe not. I'm not sure that I want to go out West. I might miss my family too much. I mean, *you* would be close to D.B. out West, but wouldn't you miss Phoebe and your parents? I know I would if I were you.  
And I was wondering-what ever made you ask me that in the first place? I felt like I was in some sort of movie when you came out and asked me all these questions out of the blue. I've always dreamt of a boy I loved asking me these questions, but not at the age of sixteen! I just feel so young sometimes...  
Anyway, I was wondering if maybe we could get together sometime soon? We haven't seen each other in ages, and I miss you. Maybe in April, when I get out of school for Easter? That would be so much fun!  
I have to go now; I have a lot of homework to do. I really shouldn't have written this to you right now, but I was feeling really lonely and missing you, and I can't call you right now, so I wrote this.  
I *really* have to go now! Goodbye! I miss you!  
  
Love,  
Sally  
  
A/N: Yay people like it! I wasn't sure what kind of response this was going to get...  
  
Amaliia Milan: You think it's a brilliant idea for a fic? Ha, tell that to my old English teacher! It is a good idea, though, it was a fun assignment last year...D.B. will come later. I'm publishing these letters in the order that I wrote them in the project I did, and he was last. Thanks for reading! 


	4. Phoebe

Disclaimer: If you really think that I own The Catcher in the Rye, you have some serious issues.  
  
A/N: Come on, people, review! The little button at the bottom there isn't just for decoration!  
  
Dear Holden,  
  
I'm so glad that you were able to go and watch my Christmas play! I had so much fun doing it! It was the best! Maybe, Holden, maybe when I'm older I'll go and act in plays, maybe on Broadway! That would be so much fun! I won't act in movies, though. I know that you don't like movies very much, and I want you to see me in every play that I'm in! Maybe D.B. could write the plays that I will be in, and I could be the star! Would you like that, Holden? I know what you like, though. I know you like that poem by Robert Burns, "If a body meet a body coming through the rye..." Maybe D.B. could write a play about that! Or a story, or something. That would make a great story.  
Holden, how come you want to be the catcher in the rye so bad? Why don't you want to be something like an actor or a doctor or...or even a baseball player? Maybe you could be a writer like D.B. You like to write, and you're good at it. Why spend all your time hanging around inside an old poem when you can write your own? How come you want to be that catcher in the rye so bad?  
I think you wanna be the catcher in the rye because you want to help people. Is that it? You know, doctors help people, too. And lawyers and firemen. Maybe you could become one of those. Helping people is a really good thing to do, Holden. You just have to find the right *way* to help people. You can't be the catcher in the rye forever.  
Do you remember that Bible story about the Virgin Mary? All the Catholics pray to her because she is the mother of Jesus, but still pure and innocent. Do you want to be like her? All grown up, but still pure and innocent? That doesn't make any sense to me. When you grow up, don't you want to do all the stuff that grown up people do, instead of just staying like a kid forever?  
Holden, you are older than me. I'm the kid here. It's like what my teacher at school always says--she tells all the bad kids who don't behave to act their age. You're not a bad kid, but sometimes you don't act your age. How come?  
I can't wait to grow up and stop being a kid. Grown ups seem to be able to do more things than fourth graders. They seem more in control. I can't wait to be in control, but it's also kinda nice to be told what to do, too. Like, I would have no idea what to do if it weren't for the director of my Christmas play.  
I had a dream the other night that you came to into my room just after midnight and we started doing the jitterbug. I miss you, Holden! Write back soon!  
  
From, Phoebe 


	5. DB

Disclaimer: I don't own this, bladdy bladdy blah.  
  
Dear Holden,  
  
Well, I haven't talked to you in a long time, and I haven't seen you in just about forever. How are you doing? What have you been up to recently? I've been thinking about you a lot in the past few weeks, so I decided to send you a letter to find out how you're doing. How's your new school? Do you have good teachers? I'm fairly sure lots of people have asked you this, but—are you working hard? Are you doing the best that you can?  
I know that you aren't very happy with the fact that I'm writing for movies now, and not writing stories and books like I used to. I know that you don't like movies very much, and, if I'm not mistaken, you're a bit disappointed that I've become part of the process of making them. Now, I'm not going to ask you to go and see the movies that have been using my scripts, but I'm just saying it would be nice. You're the only member of our family who hasn't seen any of my movies.  
Why is it that you don't like movies? What is it that you call movies again? Phonies? Why do you think that movies are phony? Personally, I don't get it. I *do* have to make money, you know...and writing is how I make money. Whether that means writing novels, poems, Broadway shows or movie scripts, it's still writing.  
I remember when you were about seven or eight—and I guess I must have been about thirteen—and I took you and Allie to see that movie about the dog, Old Yeller. You know, the one where in the end of the movie, the dog gets rabies and the boy or whoever needs to shoot him. Do you remember? I do...when they shot that dog, you were so upset. Sure, you were only a kid—younger than Phoebe is now—but you still understood. Allie didn't understand, though. He was too young at the time. But you were old enough, and you were so upset, almost crying, when they killed that dog.  
My point is, is that movie affected you somehow, Holden. Now, I know you're going to say—"I was only a kid, though!" etc., etc. But it just shows you that movies aren't obviously all phonies. And, after all, never judge a book by its cover. Whatever might seem bad or phony at first may really not be when you think about it.  
For example, remember that kid that you used to be friends with, that lived down the street from us, who moved here from Boston? Jake something or other? On the first day of school that you two had together, you came home and talked about what a stuck-up kid he was, how he was so mean, and you hated him. You may not remember, but I *do* remember how that kid became your best friend for about three years.  
Not everything's as bad as you sometimes make it out to be, Holden. If there are bad people everywhere in the world, there have to be good people as well. Bad people can't be bad without someone good in comparison. Read between the lines. That's what I always do.  
  
From, your brother,  
D.B. 


End file.
